Property Rights

“Never move a long-standing boundary line or attempt to take land that belongs to the fatherless.” (Proverbs 23:10 TPT)

One night, I was standing in my yard, looking up at the dark sky speckled with a million stars. Suddenly, a weird image popped into my mind: a Native American woman with her hair blowing in the wind. I was reminded of indigenous people all over the world who had been displaced to accommodate the modern way of life. 

These days, land is property. The owner is allowed to sell it for personal profit or do anything he wants with it. My home sits on land that was once occupied by the Bah-Kho-Je tribe of Native Americans. Between 1830-1847, the U.S. government forced most of the indigenous people off their ancestral lands and onto reservations. Even though I was not alive during these heinous acts, I have personally benefited from them. I am a participant in the system of injustice. I am complicit. 

Counterculture

“None of what they’ve done is wasted; God blesses them for it all in the end.” (Revelation 14:13 MSG)

In the 1700’s, the economy of South Carolina was dependent on slavery. Plantation owners used slave labor for cultivation of rice and indigo. All children born to a slave mother were classified as slaves. For generations, this system of profiteering from oppression continued. 

The Quakers, who were abolitionists and pacifists, lived in isolation within the slave economy. They spoke out against humans owning and trading other humans. Their activism came at a social cost. Many of them were persecuted and forced to move away from the plantations. That generation of abolitionists did not get to see the fruits of their sacrifices; to them, it must have seemed as if all they had done was wasted. 

The Quakers were considered countercultural in the 1700’s. They faced ostracization for criticizing the slave economy and the plantation way of life. Modern day activists can learn from this history. Anyone who criticizes the status quo can expect pushback. Those who choose not to participate in or benefit from an economy that promotes inequality and injustice will feel isolated. Being different can be lonely. However, none of what they’ve done is wasted. God blesses them for it all in the end. 

The Shadow

“Why would you focus on the flaw in someone else’s life and yet fail to notice the glaring flaws of your own?” (Matthew 7:3 TPT)

According to Jungian psychology, each of us has an unconscious dark side or a shadow self. Since it is painful to acknowledge or accept these negative aspects, we instinctively ignore these personal deficiencies. However, we are prone to projection--easily recognizing the same moral failures in others while overlooking them in ourselves. 

The collective conscience also has a shadow side. Our group identities provide us an echo chamber that allows us to deny our weaknesses, while projecting our insecurities onto those we view as different. The unacknowledged parts of our deep-seated beliefs shape our inherent biases. Since we want to believe that our ‘group’ is basically decent, we cover up the shameful parts. At the same time, we gaslight--sowing seeds of doubt in the minds of others. Displacing blame is less painful than accepting our inner darkness. Examining our innards is about as uncomfortable as a colonoscopy--why wouldn’t we put it off indefinitely? Unless we acknowledge the possibility of serious malignancies in our perceptions, we will continue to ignore the shadow side of our communal identity. 

Conservation and Preservation

“Opposition to truth cannot be excused on the basis of ignorance, because from the creation of the world, the invisible qualities of God’s nature have been made visible, such as his eternal power and transcendence. He has made his wonderful attributes easily perceived, for seeing the visible makes us understand the invisible. So then, this leaves everyone without excuse.” (Romans 1:20 TPT)

Ever since I read Henry David Thoreau’s Walden Pond, I have dreamed about buying a large tract of land with some timber, pasture, and a pond. I envision a log cabin in the middle, a large garden to grow food, and clearing a trail through the woods for my personal use. In this fantasy, I see myself as capable of owning and managing my natural surroundings responsibly.

I have come to recognize my ignorance and hubris.

Conservation is the management of nature to benefit humans. It assumes that the earth and everything in it were made for human pleasure. Preservation is the protection of nature from human use. It assumes that all of God’s creation is inherently valuable, whether or not it benefits humans.  Native Americans, unlike most of us, saw humanity as part of nature and thus, treated it with reverence and humility. They did not view nature as something that needed to be conquered and controlled. 

The invisible qualities of God’s nature have been made visible in creation. The earth and everything in it are the expression of His eternal power and transcendence. He has made his wonderful attributes easily perceivable--for seeing the visible makes us understand the invisible. Opposition to truth cannot be excused on the basis of ignorance.

Merry Christmas!

“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven!

For there is peace and a good hope 

given to the sons of men.”

When the choir of angels disappeared back to heaven, 

the shepherds said to one another, 

“Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word 

that is born in Bethlehem 

and see for ourselves 

what the Lord has revealed to us.”

(Luke 2:13-15 TPT)

Priorities

“Where you deposit your treasure, that is where your thoughts will turn to—and your heart will long to be there also.” (Luke 12:34 TPT)

Prioritizing is the process of ranking everything around you in order of importance and acting upon it. Given two choices that both matter, we give one more preference over the other based on our value system. How we decide to spend our time, money, and energy shows our priorities. Even if we say one thing is more valuable than another, our choices may reflect otherwise. 

What shapes a person’s priorities? 

What you find valuable about your identity often influences your priorities. If you see yourself as worthy because you belong to a certain group or have certain attributes, you may try to maintain these aspects at all cost. For example, if you think you are relevant because you are skinny, intelligent, patriotic, Christian, hard-working, rich, White, Black, Asian, educated, athletic, etc.--you are likely to prioritize activities that uphold that value system. If you see yourself as empathetic, compassionate, humble, kind, honest, etc.--but you don’t think these characteristics are respected--you may assign less importance to these ideals. Ultimately, whatever you treasure, that is where your thoughts will turn to--and your heart will long to be there also. 

Shelters and Sanctuaries

“God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked.” (Psalm 9:9-10 MSG)

 

We have a local shelter for battered women. It gives victims of domestic violence a safe place to get away from their abusive situations. However, many women are reluctant to use this service. They do not want to admit to themselves that things have gotten that bad. Most of us want to believe that we can manage, even when we can’t. 

 

Is your life messy? Have you been beaten up by circumstances? Do you feel ill-equipped to handle all that you are facing right now? You are not alone. Right this moment, millions of people around the world are facing the exact same emotions. This sense of despair can be soul crushing. 

 

Where do you go when you feel overwhelmed? When you are in the midst of grief, panic, and helplessness, it is hard to make good decisions. The chaos creates confusion. You want to grasp at whatever gives you a sense of control. This makes you reluctant to leave your current situation, to let go of the ideas of how life should be.  God is a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you can relax. But you can’t bring all the junk from your previous life. You have to leave the chaos, distrust, and resentment behind. God’s shelter is peaceful. You can count on the Lord, no matter what; He will never turn away those who come to Him for help. Go now. Stay in God’s presence.  

 

New Beginnings

“He brought us out of our old ways of living to a new beginning through the washing of regeneration.” (Titus 3:5 MSG)

A few months ago, I bought a new car. It was the exact model and color as my old car. Since my old car was still drivable, I didn’t sell it. The new car had many technological advances and safety features that my old car did not have. All the bells and whistles felt a bit disorienting to me. For the first few weeks after I bought the new car,  I kept driving the old car because it felt comfortable. 

“New beginning is intrinsically disorienting and anguishing; it builds on the wreckage of what has been outgrown but not yet relinquished.” (Cynthia Bourgeault )

Starting over can be unsettling. The temptation to sit in the ashes of burnt hopes can be overwhelming. It is distressing to let go of the old ways, even when those beliefs and behaviors are no longer viable. Harsh realities force us to reevaluate all that we hold dear.  Relinquishment is requisite to regeneration. Recognize that transitions are often discombobulating.  Allow yourself and others extra margins. Take the time to pick through the wreckage for valuable lessons. Grieve if need be. Be as gentle as you can, but try not to remain stuck in the past. Take small steps forward.  New beginnings can be built on demolished dreams.

Seeking Meaning

“The real motives come from deep within a person—as from deep waters—but a discerning person is able to draw them up and expose them.” (Proverbs 20:5 VOICE)

I have a love-hate relationship with documentaries about food. On the one hand, I want to know the details about what I am eating. However, all the fun of eating disappears after you watch how the sausage is made. Just as ignorance can be blissful, knowledge can be upsetting. Thus, it is not surprising that people avoid thinking deeply. 

A meaningless life does not make one miserable, but recognizing it does. Avoidance of discomfort is the real motive for living superficially. Seeking meaning requires us to relinquish the ease of following the status quo. We have to deliberately push through the unpleasantness of knowing in order to reach truth. A discerning person is willing to go as deep as needed and draw from the inner well of understanding. 

 

Making a Living vs. Life Work

“Don’t waste your energy striving for perishable food like that. Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides. He and what he does are guaranteed by God the Father to last.” (John 6:27 MSG)

What kind of work do you do? How do you make a living? This is one of the most frequent questions people ask when first meeting a person. In a capitalist society, your job and your income determine your value and status. 

What is your life work? What gives you purpose? This is a question that most people rarely ask others. Many of us have not even spent any time thinking about this for ourselves. In some instances, a person’s paying job aligns with their life purpose. Or, they are able to appropriate meaning in the way they make a living. Most of us are not that lucky. We go through phases. Our life work can be a series of purposeful packages. The principal labor of our lifetime may not be one obvious thing we can point to. It may not have a significant impact on our surroundings. Perhaps no one will remember any of it. However, knowing that our time on this earth is being spent in a meaningful way brings a great deal of satisfaction.  

Microaggressions vs. Microblessings

“And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.” (Ephesians 4:29 TPT)

Microaggressions are subtle barbs that are meant to put down another person. Wouldn’t it be nice to do the opposite? To indirectly uplift others whenever possible? I don’t know a term for this, so I’m going to call it microblessings. 

Look for microblessing opportunities throughout your day. When you think of someone, send them a message or give them a call. When you read something uplifting, share it with someone else. When you notice a strength in a person, point it out. When you cook something yummy, share it with a neighbor. Be thoughtful and considerate in your speech. Build each other up instead of tearing each other down. Never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth.  Let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others. Speak words of grace. Empowering others does not diminish you, but it blesses souls.

 

Recreation

“There was such a swirl of activity around Jesus, with so many people coming and going, that they were unable to even eat a meal. So Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Come, let’s take a break and find a secluded place where you can rest a while.’” (Mark 6:31 TPT)

I recently read a news article about how ‘recreational shopping’ was rising in popularity. This phrase caught my attention. I had not thought much about the word ‘recreation’ or its origin before, but I decided to look it up. The word comes from the Latin recreatio meaning to create again or renew. The concept of recreation was originally meant to be restful and restorative. These days, many of us equate recreation with amusement, not rest. We search for distractions. Vacations involve more coming and going. Leisure is filled with a swirl of activity. 

I must confess that many of my go-to recreational activities are not calming. I imitate the behaviors of others around me. I engage in intense physical exercise. I read the news.  I watch fictional TV shows that portray suffering, violence, injustice, crime. I get upset over things I have no control over. Like a car engine that is revved while idle, it simply wastes energy. Even though I know my habits are counterproductive, I continue to repeat them. I go through phases of healthy practices. I pull back. I seek out solitude. I contemplate. I intentionally do less. However, after a short while, I find myself sliding back into familiar patterns of behavior. I go back to seeking out distractions that create nothing but more agitation. 

What are your preferred forms of recreation? Are they restful? Do you feel renewed afterward? Are you able to stick with healthy changes that may go against the grain?

Thirty Marriage Tips

On this day, thirty years ago, my husband and I got married. Like any other couple, we have had our highs and lows. But God, in His infinite wisdom, graced us with wonderful mentors along the way. I would like to share some of the lessons that they shared with us over the last three decades: 

1. Love Unconditionally

2. Engage (Not disengage) daily, throughout the day.

3. Give each other space, but don’t be distant

4. Forgive

5. Address inequities calmly and clearly

6. Avoid living separate lives

7. Invest in each other’s growth

8. Be honest

9. Be kind

10. Make more deposits than withdrawals into the marriage

11. Find what helps you grow closer--do more of it. Find what draws you apart--do less of it.

12. Don’t tug at the frayed edges

13. Be faithful physically and emotionally

14. Communicate feelings, not just to-do lists. Be direct. 

15. Listen fully. Make the other person feel seen, heard, and understood.

16. Commit, then recommit

17. Work on common goals and priorities. (Make sure they are not just one person’s goals that the other person is just going along with)

18. Watch out for addictions

19. It’s okay to disagree with each other. It’s not okay to disrespect each other.

20. Admit when you are wrong. Apologize sincerely.

21. Empower your spouse to grow into the best person they can be. 

22. Do not diminish each other

23. Accept your partner for who they are.

24. Show gratitude

25. Avoid power struggles and mind games

26. Look at things from your partner’s point of view

27. Take turns playing second-fiddle

28. Do random acts of service when no one is watching. 

29. Tell each other why you like each other

30. Take nothing for granted

Nature vs. Culture

“I know God has made everything beautiful for its time. God has also placed in our minds a sense of eternity...” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 VOICE)

The word ‘nature’ conjures up images of the outdoors--plants, animals, insects, rocks, mountains, rivers, rain, wind, etc. We think of nature as the way things are--not artificial or shaped by humans. Yet, nature can also describe a person’s inherent characteristics; for example, we may say someone is  sweet-natured, abrasive, timid, or bold. Communing with nature can thus be an external or internal endeavor. God has placed in our minds a sense of eternity.

Culture is learned behavior, shaped by those around us. Our concepts about tradition, morality, language, religion, duty, humor, modesty, fashion, community, food, relationships, politics, work, play, etc., are all influenced by our environment. Like a bacterial culture grown in a petri dish, proliferation is dependent on the medium. Take for instance Christian culture. Denominational and geographical differences lead to a wide variety of beliefs, practices, and traditions within one religion. 

Both nature and culture influence who we are, but it is helpful to delineate the two concepts. Once we recognize that culture is man-made, we are less inclined to insist that there is only one right way. Much of the world’s polarization, divisiveness, hatred, and violence are a result of cultural differences. At the same time, we can accept and honor nature as is. We do not have to manipulate and change nature to fit our agenda. God made everything beautiful for its time. 

 

Simplify vs. Complicate

“Who could ever wrap their minds around the riches of God, the depth of his wisdom, and the marvel of his perfect knowledge? Who could ever explain the wonder of his decisions or search out the mysterious way he carries out his plans?” (Romans 11:33 TPT)

I was listening to a podcast when I heard the word ‘complicate’ used in an unusual way. A suburban mom was talking about her views on a politically controversial topic and she said: “I realized it was time to complicate my thoughts on this subject.” This caught my attention for several reasons. She was using ‘complicate’ as a verb and as a positive action. I’m always trying to simplify everything. I had never considered the benefit of complicating anything. 

An abridged version of a great book might be appealing to more people, but it can be a disservice to both the author and the reader. Some things are complex. Trying to simplify them is diminishing. Not everything can be reduced into neat, digestible soundbites. Sometimes we need to complicate our thoughts. 

There are subjects that we may never understand fully. However, we don’t have to give up on these topics either. Somewhere between indifferent ignorance and complete comprehension is a good place to be. We may never wrap our minds around many mysteries. The deeper we go, the more complicated things usually are. Accept this. Yet continue to pursue understanding. 

Kid Gloves and Baby Mittens

“Love makes it impossible to harm another...” (Romans 13:10 TPT)

Infants do not have the capacity to control their movements. They flail their arms and legs unconsciously. Some parents put little mittens on their newborns to prevent them from scratching themselves. These baby mittens are made of very soft yarn.  

Kid gloves, although they sound similar to baby mittens, are not the same. The ‘kid’ refers to the fact that these gloves are made from the skin of a young goat. To treat a person with ‘kid gloves’ is to handle them tactfully, because they are perceived as sensitive.  

Baby mittens are used to prevent self-harm to the wearer. Kid gloves are used to prevent injury to another. These are not interchangeable. You cannot handle a person who is lashing out with kid gloves. Coddling them will lead to more damage. Their false narratives have to be confronted. Truth, even when it is unpleasant, must be spoken and then repeated as often as is necessary. 

Love does no wrong. Sometimes, only a loved one can restrain a person from self-harm or hurting others. There are situations that require tact and other circumstances that necessitate confrontation. To love one another, we must learn to use the tools of discretion and dissuasion thoughtfully and tenderly.

Clean Home

“Now let’s search out our thoughts and ways and return to the Eternal.” (Lamentations 3:40 VOICE)

Every time I walk in the door of my home, I track in some sort of unwanted debris. Dry leaves and grass clippings are big enough to notice on the floor.  Small particles of dirt, on the other hand, are unnoticeable. I try to wipe my shoes on the doormat. I also check the bottoms of my shoes for stuck-on mud. If the bottom of a shoe cannot be wiped clean easily, I will wash and scrub it before I bring it indoors. It takes a great deal of vigilance to keep my home clean. 

Every time I am exposed to social expectations, I track in vacuous debris into my mind. My ideas are influenced by my environment. What is important? Am I beautiful, successful, and respectable? What makes life relevant and meaningful? I have to examine my thoughts regularly. How did I arrive at my current viewpoints? Are they my own or shaped by others? Do they fit the new data points of information that I have? Why am I doing what I am doing? Are my intentions good? Am I motivated by being right or doing the right thing? Like stuck-on mud on the bottom of a shoe, some beliefs are difficult to get rid of. These require intense scrubbing. It takes a great deal of contemplation, evaluation, and vigilance to keep our interior lives clean. Let us search out our thoughts and our ways and return to the Eternal.

 

Responsibility in Relationships

“The child does not share the guilt of the parent, nor the parent the guilt of the child. If you live upright and well, you get the credit; if you live a wicked life, you’re guilty as charged.” (Ezekiel 18:20 MSG)

Responsible dog ownership involves keeping your dog safe and healthy by training, feeding, grooming, etc. It also means keeping your dog from causing harm to others. Whenever I take my dog out anywhere, I put him on a leash and make sure that he doesn’t disturb passersby. If he poops in a neighbor’s yard, I clean it up. I make sure he is up-to-date on his vaccines. I can be responsible for my dog, because I have some control over his actions. Society does not expect me to give my dog free choice. I can keep my dog on a leash, contain him in a crate, put a muzzle on him if he is prone to biting, and even euthanize him if he hurts people. 

Unlike dogs, humans are given the freedom to make choices for themselves. Even though you may ‘feel’ responsible for the consequences of the choices others make, you are not culpable. You can use what influence you have, but you cannot control how others behave. If your elderly parent with poor vision refuses to stop driving, or if your brother cheats on his wife, or your adult child gets into debt, or your best friend becomes an alcoholic--there is only so much power you have over the situation. Unless you have complete control over another human, you cannot feel guilty about the consequences of their lifestyle choices. 

Winter

“He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down. Then everyone stops working so they can watch his power. The wild animals take cover and stay inside their dens.” (Job 37:6-8 NLT)

Winter in Iowa is intense. It can be a prolonged season of dark days, bone-chilling temperatures, heavy snow, slick ice, and blustery winds. Bare trees and leafless shrubs remain dormant. Birds fly south. Rabbits and small rodents burrow deep holes to stay warm. Bugs disappear. Human activity is also limited. Winter mandates a slower pace, a cessation of striving. 

When I first moved to Iowa, I resented and resisted the cold winter months. I grumbled and complained. I fantasized about moving to a warmer climate. I took vacations to tropical locations. Out of all the winter aggravations, icy roads were what I loathed the most.  Running on slippery roads led to falls. Driving anywhere could be treacherous. For a person like me who craves balance and control at all times, winter can be humbling.  

 After two decades of living here, I have learned to appreciate the rhythms of the seasons. In spring, I plant seeds. In summer, I water. In autumn, I harvest. In winter, I rest, wait, study, and mend. There are lessons in each phase of life. Every time I try to escape, to get away from adversity, I short-circuit the training process. Literally and figuratively, cycles of growth and stagnation are necessary. Progress is not linear. I accept this now. I can’t say I look forward to winter. I probably never will.  Yet, I have recognized that God can use everything for His purpose, if I am willing to surrender to Him. 

Having Fun

“A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul.” (Proverbs 17:22 TPT)

For many years, I incorrectly assumed that I did not know how to have fun. I would observe how other people played. Most everyone seemed to like eating out, traveling, playing games, having adventures, going to amusement parks, arts and crafts, shopping, and spending time with family and friends. Drinking alcohol in groups always seemed like a popular activity. Watching, playing, and talking about sports was another crowd favorite. Although I participated with others in some of these activities over the years, I always felt like an outside observer. 

According to research done by Dr. Rene Proyer, there are four types of playful adults: 

1. Other-directed--people who like to fool around with friends and acquaintances. 

2. Light-hearted--people who regard their whole life as a type of game.

3. Intellectual--people who like to play with thoughts and ideas.

4. Whimsical--people who tend to be interested in strange and unusual things and are amused by small day-to-day observations. 

My ideas on how to have fun are different from most people I know. I enjoy reading, writing, and figuring things out. Learning new things makes me happy. I like to discuss and parse ideas with others, especially with my family and friends. I find statistical graphs exciting. It’s hard to describe the thrill I feel in a well-constructed sentence, whether it was written by me or someone else.  Making a list and crossing things off as I do them brings me pleasure. I have non-nerdy fun too. On a nice autumn day, I relish being outdoors. I like taking pictures of nature. I find great satisfaction in growing vegetables and finding new ways to cook them. I find puzzles, coloring books, word games, and music relaxing. I listen to podcasts while I run. I can idle away hours watching TV with my husband in the evenings. Indulging in junk food makes me giddy. 

There are a myriad of ways to have fun. Perhaps, like me, you play differently than others. That doesn’t mean you are dull. Do not accept that label for yourself. Do not be apologetic for who you are. Affirm your individuality. Figure out what you enjoy. Make time for whatever you find interesting, relaxing, and amusing. Heal your body and mind with joy. 

(Dr. Rene Proyer’s article in the journal “Personality and Individual Differences”)

 

Guided by God

“The Spirit of truth will come and guide you in all truth.” (John 16:13 VOICE)

Ryan Hall is one of the fastest American marathoners in history. Yet, in the running world, he is best known for his unconventional training choices. When filling out official forms, Ryan lists God as his coach. He creates his daily running schedule based on the guidance he gets after prayer. His faith-based training regimen has not guaranteed success at every race. Ryan has experienced peaks, plateaus, and valleys in his career. He has been sidelined by injuries. Although he was favored to medal at the 2012 Olympics, he had to drop out halfway through the marathon with a hamstring injury. Through it all, he has held on to the habit of following God’s guidance. In 2015, Ryan and his wife Sara adopted four sisters from an orphanage in Ethiopia. This couple, who are still in their thirties, are now parents of teenagers. Their commitment to live by faith and serve others has been an inspiration and a blessing to many.

Ryan’s talent as an athlete is impressive, but it is his faith that has made an impression on me. I have no aspirations of running as well as Ryan. I do, however, find his decision-making process fascinating. I would like to seek God’s guidance in every aspect of my life and follow His directions, even when they don’t make logical sense. Especially in the hard seasons, when faith-based choices seem irrational and impractical, I want to lean on the Lord. My idea of success is a meaningful life of godly purpose. For this to happen, I need to hand over my thoughts, priorities, motivations, attitudes, perspectives, goals, behaviors, and relationships to God. The Spirit of truth will guide me in all truth. All that I am and all that I do must be led by this Spirit.

'Yay!' Moments

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...” (Zechariah 4:10 NLT)

Look over your day so far. Have you had any small accomplishments? Maybe you found a lost item or finished a household task that you had been putting off or made a new recipe or planted a tree or picked the last raspberries before the frost or made a new exercise goal or trained your dog to do a new trick. Perhaps you had a strenuous day, but you managed to just hang on without backsliding into previous bad habits. You managed to not eat the donut in the breakroom at work. You didn’t check your phone during time with your loved ones. You added another day of sobriety to your streak. You didn’t yell at someone, even though you wanted to. Do not discount these small victories. 

Even if nobody else notices them, make a point to recognize these little blessings. Make a mental note. Whisper ‘Yay!’ under your breath. Ask your loved ones to share their highlights. Rejoice with them in their ‘Yay Moments’ as well. Inspire each other. Celebrate even on the days of small progress. Give thanks for the times you did not regress. Take an inventory of the parts of your body that are still functional, the relationships that are still intact, and the dangers from which you were shielded. Notice the beauty of nature--the brilliant colors, the susurration of the wind, the predictable rhythms of seasons, the ever-present stars that become visible on certain nights. Praise God for every little blessing. Take nothing for granted.

 

Advantageous Sins

“He feeds his spirit on ashes! His deluded heart leads him astray. He can’t even ask himself, ‘Is this thing I’m holding in my right hand a fraud?’” (Isaiah 44:20 TPT)

Deception is widely practiced, because it is often personally advantageous. Take, for example, a brand name watch that is known to be expensive. Let’s call it a Bolex. The advertisers will inflate the benefits of owning a Bolex over other forms of keeping time. A Bolex buyer is aware that there is some manipulation involved, but they are willing to overlook it because they, too, have an agenda. They know that any watch will tell time just as accurately as a Bolex. However, they are willing to pay the inflated price, because they hope wearing an expensive watch will make them look wealthy. Sellers of counterfeit products also join in the scam, selling look-alike Bolex watches at much cheaper prices. Buyers of these knock-offs know that they are wearing fraudulent products, but they hope to trick others into admiring them. At every level of this charade, there is subterfuge. Yet, everyone willingly participates since it is advantageous to those involved. 

“If we do not see the true shape of evil or recognize how we are fully complicit in it, it will fully control us, while not looking the least like sin. Would ‘agreed-upon delusion’” be a better description? We cannot recognize it or overcome it as isolated individuals, mostly because it is held together by the group consensus.” (Richard Rohr)

The proliferation of evil requires group consensus. Like a virus, it needs a host to grow and reproduce. Those who are complicit in the ‘agreed-upon delusion’ act as vectors who support and disseminate the lies and justifications. They do so because it is personally advantageous, at least in the short-run. Thus, all types of collective sins--racism, exploitation, pollution, corruption, injustice, inequality, violence, war--are rebranded and practiced without shame. 

Unless we are willing to confront the true shape of evil, it shall remain in control. Evil baits us. It appeals to our desire for power, safety, admiration, pleasure. We willingly fall into the snare. Not only do we allow ourselves to be deceived, we also lead others astray. Once we recognize our role in the spread of this malignancy, we can opt out of participating. If enough of us recuse ourselves from the practice of delusions, we can break the cycle. Just as we entered into sin collectively, we must exit collectively in order to overcome evil. 

Advent

“The Lord, the Eternal, comes with power, with unstoppable might; He will take control without question or delay. He will see to it that wages are paid, repairs are made, and all is set right again.” (Isaiah 40:10 VOICE)

Advent ushers in the new liturgical year.  It is a season of darkness and light, of waiting and expectation. It is a time for music, purple ribbons, candles, and wassail. We prepare our hearts for new beginnings. As we commemorate the birth of Christ, I would like to share some Advent resources with all of you:

1. Advent Scripture: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/lections.php?year=B&season=Advent

2. Advent Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHPHY-Htdgq-X6B2zgQCVZdxv2YoCGS9Q

3. Advent Quotes: http://www.appleseeds.org/christmas-quotes.htm

4. Advent Poetry: https://theadventusproject.wordpress.com/resources/poetry/

5. Advent Paintings: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/top-10-christams-artworks-393582

6. Advent Prayers: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/12-advent-prayers.html

7. Advent Outreach ideas: donate to a food pantry, donate coats, socks, gloves, toiletries to the local homeless shelter, call or write to someone who is alone this Christmas, drop off some homemade food to a neighbor or a frontline worker, donate money to an international charity, send any of the above Advent online resources to friends and family.